POP is such a powerful word. You want things to visually POP out, like a bright tie in contrast to a dark shirt. For my webpage design, I used Opti-POP to make such I wouldn’t be ignored like Glen Close in Fatal Attraction. As a kid, I loved my dinosaur POP-Out book, especially the Stegosaurus with the things popping out of its back. Jiffy POPcorn was so much fun as a kid, until the black smoke would come out of the top because I ultimately always overcooked it. But what happens when something in your anus region POPs out?

I have had numerous patients nervously tell me, “Doctor, I have something like hamburger meat sticking out of my rear end.” In reality, it is usually hemorrhoids (hold the pickles, hold the lettuce). The anus has hemorrhoidal veins, and if they swell up we call the hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be internal (more inside towards the rectum) or external (seen externally on the anus). And literally, they can be a pain in the butt: itching, irritation, bleeding, and stool leakage.

About four percent of American adults suffer with hemorrhoids, affecting men as much as women. 45-65 year olds are most affected, and it is something most folks just don’t want to talk about. Case and Point: I attended a lecture, “The Anus, with integrity and respect”, because of the social phobia about the anus.

We have enough strains in life, so you shouldn’t strain during a bowel movement because that might cause the hemorrhoid veins to swell up like a feeding tick. Pregnancy can cause hemorrhoids as well as pelvic tumors. Sitting all day long puts pressure on the bum bum that can lead to hemorrhoids.

If a flaring hemorrhoid gets thrombosed (blood clot), it can be quite painful. In worst case scenario, it is a surgical emergency if the lack of blood supply causes gangrene. Otherwise, hemorrhoids don’t really hurt. They just itch and feel irritated. So painless bleeding might be a hemorrhoid-bright red blood in the toilet, toilet paper, and/or covering the stool. But bright red blood coming out of the anus can also be from other things such as inflammatory bowel disease, infection, blood vessel tumor.

Soiling of the underwear with fecal material can be from anal leakage. For example an internal hemorrhoid and prolapse out, or constant hard efforts to clean the anus leads to inflammation and worn down skin. Anal skin tags can be remnants of previously thrombosed hemorrhoids and they can be hard to clean.

Fiber Fiber good for the butt, The more you eat the better you strut. Fiber is needed for good bowel movements, and the last thing you want to do is push hard during defecation. But water is essential with fiber or you can get what I call is a “fiberoid” … dried up fiber clogging the plumbing.

For the itch and irritation, creams and suppositories to shrink the hemorrhoids can be useful, like Anusol and Prep H. Over the counter hydrocortisone can be used, but if used too long can make it worse. Tucks pads, bidets, and Sitz baths are nice ways to clean the area and soothe some of that irritation.

If conservation measure aren’t effective enough, a surgical consultation can be worthwhile because they have many procedures that can be very effective.

So I hope if I accomplished one thing is not to be embarrassed if you feel a POP Goes the Weasel down around the anus. Doctors aren’t here to judge your medical condition. We are here to help, no ifs ands or butts.

© Dr. John Hong, Inc

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 4:42 pm and is filed under Digestive System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.